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Western Notes: Doncic, Suns, Spurs, Ingram

April 24th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

While Luka Doncic‘s 32 points and nine assists in Tuesday’s Game 2 win over the Clippers were nearly right in line with his regular season numbers, he may have been even more impactful on the other end of the court, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Doncic has never been known for his defense, but he played a key role in limiting L.A.’s shooting percentage on the night to just 36.8%.

“I think his defense has been great this whole series,” head coach Jason Kidd told reporters after his Mavericks evened the series at 1-1. “We know they’re going to put him in pick-and-roll. A couple years ago we saw this, and we had to tell him to participate. But I think he’s participating at a high level on both ends. He’s leading not just on the offensive end but also the defensive end.”

As MacMahon details, the Mavericks had the NBA’s best defensive rating in the final 20 games of the season, and Doncic has made a concerted effort to improve his individual defense. The Clippers repeatedly attacked him on Tuesday, but they made just 2-of-17 shots with Luka as the primary defender, per ESPN.

“I accept it,” Doncic said of the Clippers’ strategy. “It gets me going on defensive end too. That’s fine. I think I played good defense today. I’ve just got to stay locked in.”

Here’s more from around the West:

  • The Suns will need from their three stars if they hope to pull of a first-round comeback against Minnesota, writes Baxter Holmes of ESPN. Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal combined for just 52 points in Game 2, 20 points below their average regular season total, and turned the ball over 12 times. “Their physicality tarnishes our ability to get into our sets faster,” Beal said on Tuesday. “They do a really good job of just denying [Durant], denying [Booker], being physical with them. [Anthony Edwards] is picking me up full [court]. They’re just making us work before we even get into our sets.”
  • The Spurs have done a good job stockpiling extra draft picks, but now they’ll have to decide how best to use them, writes Nick Moyle of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). As Moyle outlines, San Antonio could have as many as eight first-round picks and eight more second-rounders in the next four drafts. Given the young talent already on the roster and the desire to add complementary pieces around Victor Wembanyama, it won’t make sense for the Spurs to hang onto – and use – all those selections, so some could become trade chips.
  • After being benched down the stretch of the Pelicans‘ first play-in game vs. the Lakers, Brandon Ingram came up big last Friday vs. Sacramento, scoring a team-high 24 points to help New Orleans clinch a playoff berth. However, Ingram contributed just 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting in Game 1 against Oklahoma City. Noting that the Pelicans will need more from the former All-Star going forward, William Guillory of The Athletic explores how they might get him going.
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Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic Named MVP Finalists

April 21st, 2024 at 6:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were revealed on Sunday as the finalists for the Most Valuable Player award, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

Doncic led the league in scoring (33.9 points per game) and finished second in assists (9.8) while also grabbing 9.2 rebounds per contest. Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to the top seed in the Western Conference by averaging 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. Jokic, who is widely considered the favorite to win his third MVP trophy, averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists per night.

The NBA also announced the finalists for six other postseason awards. Here are the finalists for all of those awards:

Most Valuable Player

Sixth Man

Defensive Player of the Year

Most Improved Player

Note: Sengun appeared in just 63 games but was eligible for award consideration based on the season-ending injury exception described in our glossary entry on the 65-game rule.

Coach of the Year

  • Mark Daigneault, Thunder
  • Chris Finch, Timberwolves
  • Jamahl Mosley, Magic

Rookie of the Year

Clutch Player of the Year

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Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, T. Jones, Paul, Young, Questions

April 20th, 2024 at 3:18pm CST by Rory Maher

No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama just completed one of the most impressive rookie seasons in league history, becoming only the 10th player to ever average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. The other nine players are all Hall of Famers, and Wembanyama was the first to accomplish the feat in fewer than 30 minutes per game (29.7).

In a lengthy interview with O’Connor (YouTube link), the Spurs big man said he wasn’t surprised by his performance in 2023/24.

“It’s impossible to be surprised by your own performance, good or bad,” Wembanyama told The Ringer. “Because, ultimately, everything is a result of your own work and your mentality. I always want more, so I’m not surprised.”

San Antonio went just 22-60 this season, but Wembanyama more than lived up to his billing as a generational prospect. While he said he has no plans to become involved with potential front office moves right now, the 20-year-old admitted he’s been contacted by players interested in teaming up with him.

“Yeah, I’ve received some messages,” Wembanyama said. “Even from prospects. But I try to sustain my role. It’s a whole new world that I’m eager to discover. For sure, one day or the other, I’ll have to be involved in this, I guess, even though I’m staying in my role as a player.”

Here’s more from San Antonio:

  • After starting for the majority of the ’22/23 campaign, Spurs point guard Tre Jones came off the bench to open ’23/24. However, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes, experimenting with other players at the point produced lackluster results, and the team played considerably better once Jones was moved back into the starting five. Jones’ chemistry with Wembanyama was particularly noteworthy, McDonald observes, but it still seems likely that the Spurs will pursue other point guards this offseason, whether it comes in the draft, free agency or trades. For his part, Jones said he’s fine with whatever role he’s given. “I just want to improve my game and set myself up to be able to help the team win in any way possible,” Jones said. “No matter what position I’m in.”
  • While both Chris Paul and the Warriors have said they have mutual interest in a reunion, that’s far from a lock, since they’ll lose his Bird rights if they waive his non-guaranteed $30MM salary for next season. If Paul doesn’t return to Golden State, Marc Stein (Substack link) says there are “rumbles in circulation” that the Spurs might pursue the future Hall-of-Famer on a short-term deal.
  • In a subscriber-only story for The Express-News, McDonald explores five “burning questions” the Spurs will be faced with this summer, including whether or not they’ll pursue Hawks guard Trae Young. McDonald hears San Antonio hasn’t ruled out the possibility of going after Young or another star, but suggests the team’s “biggest swing” might come at a later date.
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Spurs’ Zach Collins To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

April 18th, 2024 at 2:01pm CST by Rory Maher

Zach Collins dislocated his right shoulder in the Spurs‘ season finale on Sunday and a subsequent MRI revealed a torn labrum, the team announced in a press release. Collins will undergo surgery and is expected to be fully healed to open the 2024/25 season, per the Spurs.

A 6’11” big man, Collins dealt with multiple major ankle injuries earlier in his seven-year career, playing just 39 total games from 2019-22. However, he was relatively healthy in 2023/24, appearing in 69 games while averaging 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 22.1 minutes per contest.

The 26-year-old opened ’23/24 as the Spurs’ starting center, but he was moved to the bench in December, when head coach Gregg Popovich slid Victor Wembanyama up a position in the frontcourt. Collins wound up making 29 starts, often manning the middle in the 11 games Wembanyama missed.

While it’s obviously very unfortunate that Collins sustained another significant injury, the good news is that he’ll have the entire offseason to recover. The fact that San Antonio expects him to be ready for the start of next season is a positive sign as well.

Collins signed a two-year, $34.8MM extension with the Spurs last October, which begins next season. He’s under contract through ’25/26.

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Latest On Trae Young

April 17th, 2024 at 9:38am CST by Luke Adams

After averaging 26.4 points in 36.5 minutes per game during his first 51 contests this season, Hawks guard Trae Young scored 15.0 PPG while playing 26.6 MPG in three games last week upon returning from hand surgery. Having gotten a few appearances under his belt down the stretch, Young is hoping to see his usual playing time – and provide his usual production – in Wednesday’s play-in game vs. Chicago, according to Charles Odum of The Associated Press.

“I feel a lot better,” Young told reporters after practicing on Monday. “I’m just trying to make sure I can play at least close to my minutes that I played in the regular season in play-in games.”

Young logged fewer than 21 minutes last Wednesday in his first game back, but bumped that figure to 27 minutes on Friday and nearly 32 in Sunday’s regular season finale. As long as he can handle the increased workload, the Hawks figure to lean heavily on him, since they’ll be missing key rotation players like Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu, and Saddiq Bey due to injuries. Even on the road, without those teammates available, Young feels good about Atlanta’s chances.

“Obviously you just play the cards you’re dealt,” Young said. “… That’s just my mentality. You know I feel like we can still win with the players we have, so I’m going to go out there and try to do it.”

Here’s more on Young:

  • Echoing previous reporting, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report says that many sources around the NBA believe Young will be traded this summer, though he cautions that the diminutive, offense-first guard wouldn’t be an ideal fit on some rosters. “It’s difficult to win with a player like Trae,” one Eastern Conference executive said to Pincus. “He needs to be the best player on your team, but he’s not at that top-tier level.”
  • Pincus runs through a few potential landing spots for Young, considering what trades to the Lakers, Spurs, or Nets might look like. Pincus suggests that it’s tricky to find many other clear fits, though he identifies the Pistons as a possible wild card. Keeping Young and trading Dejounte Murray may ultimately make more sense for Atlanta, Pincus writes, since Murray would be more popular on the trade market due to his less pricey contract and his two-way ability.
  • Although the Spurs need a long-term answer at point guard and have been linked to Young since February’s trade deadline, Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News advises not betting on a deal that sends Trae to San Antonio. “There are a lot of different ways this can go, and a lot of different stars (the Spurs) might end up targeting, but they’re not going to be the team that meets Atlanta’s price for Trae Young,” Finger writes in a tweet.
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Southwest Notes: Rockets, Green, Pelicans-Lakers, Popovich

April 15th, 2024 at 5:51pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Rockets’ 2023/24 season, their first under new head coach Ime Udoka, is now in the books. Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle breaks down how the team showed plenty of promise en route to a 41-41 finish, diminished slightly by the lack of a playoff or play-in berth. The Rockets finished as the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference.

“Happy wouldn’t be the word,” Udoka said. “We are disappointed we didn’t meet our goal. When you are a few games behind, you think of all the tough … games we’ve given away, we understand where we could have been. The goal always was to make the playoffs and the play-in and have that experience for our guys.”

Center Alperen Sengun and shooting guard Jalen Green, who both enjoyed breakout seasons this year, are both set to be extension-eligible when the new league year begins in July.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

  • Pelicans head coach Willie Green‘s contract was reportedly extended last year, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Sources inform Clark that New Orleans also extended the contracts of New Orleans executive executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin and general manager Trajan Langdon. Green, a former journeyman NBA guard as a player, is in his third season with New Orleans and boasts a 127-119 record with the club so far. He has led the Pelicans to three consecutive postseason appearances, though the team was eliminated in the play-in tournament a year ago.
  • The Pelicans struggled to do much of anything against the Lakers in a critical season finale matchup on Sunday, as Rod Walker of NOLA.com details. In falling 124-108 to Los Angeles, New Orleans fell into the play-in tournament with a 49-33 record — the Pels are the West’s No. 7 seed and have a rematch on tap with the eighth-seeded Lakers on Tuesday.
  • Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich suggested that he expects return to coach probable Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama for his second season, writes Tom Orbsorn of The San Antonio Express-News. The 75-year-old Popovich inked a five-year deal worth upwards of $80MM to stick with San Antonio last summer. “He made it very clear day one he cares about his guys as people first,” Wembanyama said. “He is there to poke on us sometimes or to correct us. But the way my teammates and I have responded to all the advice it’s just been great and the dynamic is very good.”
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Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Mamukelashvili, Branham, Graham

April 13th, 2024 at 5:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

Victor Wembanyama‘s remarkable rookie season is officially over, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Wembanyama is listed as out for right ankle injury management on the Spurs‘ report for Sunday’s finale with Detroit.

After being the most anticipated draft pick in 20 years, the French big man made a powerful impact during his first NBA season, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and a league-leading 3.6 blocks in 71 games. Lopez notes that he’s the first rookie to reach those numbers since blocks became an official statistic 50 years ago.

Coach Gregg Popovich indicated before Friday’s game that Wembanyama could be held out on Sunday, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News, and that was before he played 37 minutes in a win over Denver. The Spurs have been careful with their prized rookie recently, resting him on the second night of a back-to-back last week.

“I know this has been in the air,” Wembanyama told reporters Friday night. “I mean, I felt it’s been in the air for some weeks, but I’m always going to fight to play.”

There’s more from San Antonio:

  • Sandro Mamukelashvili is making a strong case for a new contract, McDonald notes in the same piece. The backup big man wasn’t used much early in the season, but he has taken advantage of opportunities presented by injuries and is averaging 10.4 points and 10.1 rebounds over the past seven games, including a season-high 21 points on Friday. Mamukelashvili signed a one-year, minimum-salary deal after becoming a free agent last summer and is eligible for restricted free agency this offseason. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but I love being here,” he said. “I love being around the guys, connecting with them, learning, growing. I’m looking forward to the future and if it’s here, I’ll be very happy.”
  • Malaki Branham missed Friday’s game with concussion symptoms and won’t play Sunday either, McDonald adds. The second-year guard was struck in the head during Wednesday’s game at Oklahoma City.
  • Teammates were thrilled for Devonte’ Graham after his game-winning shot in the final second to beat the Nuggets, McDonald writes in a separate story. It has been a difficult season for the 29-year-old guard, who only appeared in 12 games before the All-Star break, but Popovich has been impressed by how he has remained sharp and has served as a leader for his younger teammates. “He busted his ass all year long,” Popovich said. “He was always ready. I’m sure he didn’t like (not playing), but he was always there for his team.”
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Southwest Notes: Cuban, Doncic, Sengun, Pelicans, Spurs

April 12th, 2024 at 4:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Confirming prior reporting from Forbes, Marc Stein (Substack link) cites sources who say that Mark Cuban‘s sale agreement with Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont stipulates that the Mavericks‘ new majority owners have the option to buy an additional 20% of the franchise in four years.

For the time being, Cuban has retained control of 27% of the team and reportedly still maintains a voice in the personnel decisions, though he’s no longer the final decision-maker. However, if Adelson and Dumont exercise that option a few years from now, the extra shares would come out of Cuban’s stake in the team, reducing his holdings to below 10%.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

  • Luka Doncic likely won’t finish higher than second in MVP voting this season, but the fact that he’s legitimately in the conversation is more important to the Mavericks than him actually winning the award, opines Tim Cato of The Athletic. As Cato explains, this version of Doncic raises Dallas’ ceiling and makes the team a bona fide contender.
  • Alperen Sengun (ankle/knee) won’t return for either of the Rockets‘ final two games of the season, Kelly Iko of The Athletic confirms (via Twitter). Sengun is a candidate for this year’s Most Improved Player award, but because he only appeared in 63 games, an independent doctor would need to rule that his injury is likely to sideline him through at least May 31 in order for him to be eligible for award consideration.
  • Although New Orleans has yet to clinch its playoff spot, the team looks better than it has in years and is on track to win the most games it has in a season since being rebranded as the Pelicans in 2013. James Herbert of CBS Sports checks in on the Pelicans to get a sense of why this year’s team is more dangerous than the one we’ve seen in recent seasons, as well as what the next steps are for the franchise.
  • Victor Wembanyama has been everything the Spurs hoped he’d be in his first year in the NBA and figures to only get better going forward, but will San Antonio be able to build a contender around the young star? Isaac Levy-Rubinett of The Ringer explores that question, considering the players the Spurs already have on their roster, their draft assets, and a potential trade target.
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Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Mamukelashvili, Collins, Brooks

April 11th, 2024 at 10:04pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Grizzlies will be without 13 of their 15 standard contract players when they take on the Lakers on Friday (Twitter link via Memphis Commercial Appeal’s Damichael Cole), epitomizing an injury-mired and disappointing season.

Memphis dealt with long-term injuries to almost everyone on its roster and continues to cycle through 10-day contract hardship players to see what sticks. Two-way players have started over 50 combined games for the team that has seen an NBA-record 33 individual players suit up this year.

That leaves the Grizzlies, a team that is widely expected to be a playoff contender at full health, in a unique position this offseason. Players like GG Jackson and Vince Williams proved themselves as valuable young rotation pieces, while others like Jake LaRavia and Lamar Stevens are shouldering big minutes down the stretch. But with the likes of Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane set to return from injury next season, the Grizzlies will have crucial decisions to make.

Cole writes about the Grizzlies’ wing rotation logjam, noting that if you factor in Yuta Watanabe (player option), Ziaire Williams and John Konchar, the Grizzlies have nine wing players to account for next season. Some sort of movement on the roster, either by way of trade or waiver, would need to take place to balance the rotation.

Cole says that all signs point to the team picking up Kennard’s $14.7MM team option next season, but ponders whether the team could trade Ziaire Williams, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The Grizzlies have shown a tendency to trade players in the final years of their deals, like Steven Adams and Tyus Jones, as well as former first-rounders on rookie contracts, such as David Roddy.

The Athletic’s Kelly Iko and John Hollinger explore a similar topic, with Hollinger expressing that he expects Memphis to trade Kennard or decline his option in an effort to dodge the tax. The pair also discuss the fact that the Grizzlies hold a lottery pick and explore potential free agent options the team could look to sign.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

  • Spurs big man Sandro Mamukelashvili is playing a prominent role in the rotation as of late, including starting two of San Antonio’s last three games. As Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes, Mamukelashvili has become something of a favorite for coach Gregg Popovich, who has played the Georgian forward 20 or more minutes in his last five games. He has been on a rebounding tear over that stretch, pulling down 9.8 boards per contest, including a career-high 16 on Tuesday. “He’s like a perpetual motion kind of thing,” Popovich said. “He’s moving all the time, with or without the ball. Sometimes I think he doesn’t know exactly why, but I love his movement and his IQ. He knows how to play.” Mamukelashvili will be eligible for restricted free agency after the season.
  • After a disappointing start to the season, Spurs center Zach Collins is determined to finish the year in a strong fashion, according to Tom Orsborn of San Antonio Express-News. Collins lost his starting job after 20 games during a shooting slump, but it looks like he has regained his form from beyond the arc as of late. He shot 42.9% from three in March and has made 33.3% of his outside attempts through five games in April, a big improvement from the 29.3% he shot from October to February. “He’s becoming a real pro, a consistent player who we know what we can get from night after night,” Popovich said. “He’s a good competitor. His skills are improving, his understanding of the game is improving, and he’s getting more confident.” Collins is under contract with San Antonio for two more seasons.
  • Dillon Brooks has been thankful for his season with the Rockets but said he wants to be more like himself next season, writes Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen. According to Feigen, Brooks would like to be a more physical defender next year. “I don’t want to stir the pot too much, but I feel like the NBA restrained me from playing that type of game,” Brooks said. “But I’ve got to be on a ‘I don’t care’ mentality and just deal with what comes with it.“
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Southwest Notes: Sengun, Wemby, J. Green, Pelicans

April 10th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Rockets center Alperen Sengun, who has been sidelined since March 10 due to knee and ankle injuries, had hoped to get back on the court in the season’s final week, but it doesn’t look like it’ll happen, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).

“I would say (it’s) unlikely,” head coach Ime Udoka said. “Alperen still has swelling. A lot was going to be based on our results and how we finished the season. No need to really rush him back.”

Sengun enjoyed a breakout year for the Rockets this season, averaging 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 32.5 minutes per game across 63 starts. He’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension as of this July.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

  • The Spurs will hold Victor Wembanyama out of action on Wednesday at Oklahoma City in the second end of a back-to-back set due to right ankle management, writes Andrew Lopez of ESPN. San Antonio appears to just be playing it safe with its franchise player as the season winds down, but it means Wembanyama won’t get one more matchup with fellow rookie standout Chet Holmgren. The two big men are virtual locks to be the top two vote-getters for this season’s Rookie of the Year award.
  • Mavericks wing Josh Green has missed the club’s past 12 games due to a sprained right ankle, but he appears to be on the verge of a return. As Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News tweets, Green’s status for Wednesday’s game in Miami has been upgraded to questionable.
  • The Pelicans are getting more comfortable playing small-ball, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, who notes that Jonas Valanciunas‘ playing time has declined in recent weeks — the veteran center played a season-low four minutes in Sunday’s win over Phoenix. “It’s something I have been watching and studying and feeling for a long time,” head coach Willie Green said. “We are getting more and more comfortable playing a small unit. We got to continue to rebound. We outrebounded them (on Sunday). When we go small, play fast and open up the floor, it’s harder for teams to load up the paint on us.”
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